Do charters steal money from local students?

COLUMBUS – The way Ohio doles out state money to charter schools takes those resources away from children in local school districts, education officials said Thursday.

But the simplest solution — giving money directly to charter schools — could be costly and make it easier to ax charter school money in the future.

Here’s how the money flows under the current model: Ohio gave Crestline Schools $5,171 per student last school year. That amount is calculated based on many factors, including how much the district can collect in local property taxes.

But if a student goes to a charter school instead, the district must contribute nearly $6,000 for his education. Because more money is spent on the exiting charter school students, students who are left get less money: about $4,946 per pupil, according to estimates from left-leaning think tank Innovation Ohio.That calculation isn’t completely fair, said Chad Aldis, vice president for Ohio policy and advocacy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which sponsors charter schools. Charter schools don’t receive any local money to educate students and little for facilities. A 2014 University of Arkansas study showed Ohio’s charter schools received 22 percent less money than traditional schools.

Still, the disparity has about two dozen school boards and the top teacher union calling for change in how money is distributed.

“We need our legislators to move quickly to pass charter school reform legislation and take a serious look at how Ohio penalizes students in our local school districts in the way it funds charters,” said Scott DiMauro, vice president of the Ohio Education Association.

School districts that don’t receive much state aid have the most to lose, said Stephen Dyer, a former Democratic state representative who works for Innovation Ohio.

So why don’t we just give money to charter schools directly? Many charter and local school officials say it’s the best solution, but lawmakers haven’t entertained the idea recently.

Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, who chairs the Senate education committee, said that change could be tricky.

If charter schools received money directly from the state, local school districts couldn’t count charter students in their total population. That could change how much districts receive. Also, the state likely would pay for the difference between the money allotted for local students and charter school students.

“It would be an increase in state dollars, no question in my mind,” Lehner said.

Another concern is creating a line item for charter schools in the state budget could make it easier for an anti-charter school politician to cut that funding, Aldis said.

But giving money directly to charter schools could eliminate the angst that local school officials feel handing over a portion of their budget each month, said Rep. Bill Hayes, R-Harrison Township, who oversees the House education committee. It’s especially acrimonious if the charter school is performing worse.

“Where the animosity is created is when local dollars are going to charter school that is performing less well than the local district school,” Lehner said.

Both education chairs said they would consider funding charter schools directly, but it won’t be part of the charter school reform package that lawmakers will consider this fall.